


A second chance to make amends

by Silmarwen



Series: Dimiclaude Week 2020 [7]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Color-based Soulmates, DimiClaudeWeek2020, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21992251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silmarwen/pseuds/Silmarwen
Summary: Since the day Dimitri was born, he's only been able to see the color yellow.Dimiclaude Week Day 7: Soulmates
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Series: Dimiclaude Week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589623
Comments: 10
Kudos: 223





	A second chance to make amends

Dimitri remembers being born in a world without color. It’s normal he was told, even before he could remember. They said, it’s a sign you have a soulmate, being born in a world without color. Not everyone is blessed with a soulmate, someone they are destined for. He should consider himself lucky. 

They say you need to connect with your soulmate before you’re able to see colors. That just meeting them isn’t enough. There needs to be a bond of trust, understanding, faith and honesty. Finding your soulmate is difficult.

As he grows up, he asks what the color of his hair is, as in his reflection it’s the only color he can see, vibrant and stunning. His father says it’s blonde, a bright shade of golden yellow. It’s then that he determines that yellow is the color he can see. He’s thankful for it, it means he can see the color of the sun, though he’s told not to stare at it early on in his life.

There are shades of yellow he can identify, becoming more muted the further they get from being that vibrant color. He can see Ingrid’s hair, his father’s, there’s so many things he can see among the monotone world but some he can't. Sylvain's hair is always a dull grey, red is the color they named it when he once asked. 

There’s a part of him that's thankful he can't see the colour red, the colour of the blood spilt at Duscur, the color the he's sure his ghosts that hound him are covered in. But over time, his ghosts change, adopting hues of yellow instead of greys, as if to mock him, hurt him. He’s grown to hate the color associated with his soulmate because of this, though he hides it well. It is cruel to despise his soulmate because of his ghosts, but a part of his mind finds a need to spite something while he works to bring the dead the revenge they crave.

The monastery is full of yellow, with the fine gold trimmings many people wear on their uniforms, and then there’s the Golden Deer house leader, the short yellow cape that flutters behind him wherever he steps, Claude von Riegan. Dimitri won’t admit out loud but, he fascinates him. And he believes Claude is fascinated with him too, though that might just be him being selfish in how he seems to enjoy playing with his cape, saying it’s such a vibrant blue. This gives him an odd sense of pride for the blue adorning his uniform and associated with his house, the Blue Lions.

Claude can only see blue he admits one night alone in the library during their first month there, both busy researching things the other doesn't pry into. It’s almost comical they can only see the color of the other leader’s house. Neither of them hides their limited colors, though it takes months for Claude's to get discovered. By then there’s jokes and rumors they could be each other’s soulmate. 

Deep down a part of Dimitri wouldn’t mind it, but he’s not there to find his soulmate. He has other plans, to find out the truth behind Duscur, for revenge. So, he pays the rumors no mind and only gives Claude glances when he's not looking. 

Claude always finds ways to surprise him though, from his teasing, to his willingness to ignore his royal status with his relaxed words and nicknames. It’s refreshing, he will not deny he enjoys being treated like a normal person instead of the crown prince. 

He’ll admit, only when he’s alone with just the company of his ghosts around him, that he might have feelings for Claude. For the boy who teases and gives smiles that remind him of Sylvain, hiding away his true feelings. The boy he runs into in the library late at night, reading everything and anything that intrigues him, on a constant hunt for knowledge. 

“You know, Your Princeliness, I wonder if there’s a chance you’d save me a dance at this month’s dance.” Claude says to him one evening in the library and he swears he sees a flick of color different from the yellow of Claude’s cape, but it’s gone in an instance. He’s seen phantom colors in the past, trick of the light that’s a common occurrence for everyone who’s still searching for their soulmate. Wishful thinking, he decides. What a dream would it be if Claude was his soulmate. 

There’s no dance with Claude, they both miss the chance and things start to spiral out of control after that. They never do get closer then sitting in the library together late at night, no chance to form a bond to even humor the chance of being soulmates, no chance to trust each other with whatever secrets they hide.

And then Edelgard is the Flame Emperor, and she starts the war, betraying them all. Duscur is _her fault._ Everything spirals, and his ghosts scream louder, he knows who they want dead in revenge for their own deaths, he will have Edelgard’s head for them. 

A soulmate to add to this world means nothing, only his revenge matters, to give peace to the dead. That’s all that matters.

He forgets about his colorless world save the yellow, forgets about soulmates and everything else but vengeance and anger and _her head._

It isn’t until Gronder field, a reunion, that he sees that yellow cape again, longer, draped over armour of other shades of yellow, but none as stunning a yellow as his cape. But his mind has only one focus, Edelgard’s head. There is no peace for the dead while she still lives. 

Claude gets in his way, they clash, grey liquid splashes on the ground when Dimitri wounds him. He drives off the yellow that distracts his eyes from the grey colors of Edelgard.

She escapes, he loses Rodrigue, the professor listens, his ghosts quiet for a moment, his mind clears a little, lets those who care talk to him, help him. He has time to regret things. They retake Fhirdiad, he takes his place as King of Faerghus, and then Claude calls for aid in Derdriu. 

His worst fear is they arrive too late. That Claude dies, that he can’t apologize for his treatment of him at Gronder. Head clearer, his finds his feelings for Claude are still there even after five years. During those five years, he found comfort in thing that held yellow, even with the taunting shade his ghosts took, autumn fields, Claude’s old room at the monastery, all of it gave him brief comforts. He cannot deny it anymore. So, it terrifies him, the chance of being too late and Claude dying because he took too long to come to his senses. 

When they arrive, Dimitri finds his eye drawn to the new armor gracing Claude’s form. His old puffy cloths are switched for a tight-fitting uniform with muted yellows and a cape over his right shoulder instead of his left. His mind wanders for a moment over how well it hugs his body, before his forces himself to focus on the battle. There are close calls, Duke Arundel determined to end the Alliance leader’s life, almost succeeding if it weren’t for Hilda’s guard buying time for Dimitri to end him instead, ending the life of another linked to the Tragedy. 

Claude smiles at him, said he knew he’d come. He trusts him, it makes Dimitri’s chest feel light, another brief change in color flashes in the corner of his vision. 

Then Claude announces that the Alliance is his, that he’s leaving in the morning and his heart plummets. 

Tonight, Derdriu is full of the sounds of celebration as the citizens return to their homes from their safety at sea.

Dimitri walks away from the main crowd, finally feeling the full exhaustion seeping over him from the day’s battle. He was looking for Claude for a while, but the former Alliance leader eluded him, likely celebrating with his old classmates. So instead, Dimitri makes his way to the docks, hoping some time alone will ease the weariness in his body.

Much to his surprise, he finds Claude sitting with his feet dangling in the water, boots sitting on the wood beside him. He’s dressed down, in simple shirt and slacks, easy to hide in the crowd with. The colors are various shades of grey, it’s weird not seeing him wearing yellow.

“Claude?” 

The man jumps a little before turning to him. “Your Kingliness? What brings you here? Decided to call it a night?”

“I believe I could ask the same of you.” He sits beside him, cross-legged to avoid needing to remove his boots. “I thought you liked celebrations and feasts.”

“Mmm, not in the mood tonight. Hilda chased me off, saying I looked like I was gonna cry. Do I look like someone who cries easily? The nerve of her.” He asks with a grin, leaning into Dimitri’s shoulder in jest.

“Maybe. You do look conflicted by something.” Dimitri can’t ignore the flash of panic that crosses his face. “Is there something troubling you? Claude, I know I’ve ruined our friendship at Gronder, but please, let me help you now.”

“You didn’t ruin anything.” Claude mutters before going silent for a moment, stuck considering his offer. “I…Dimitri, can I ask you something?”

“Anything Claude.”

“How would you confess to someone who isn’t your soulmate?”

Dimitri stares at him, mouth hanging open. Claude, who’s always seemed to be an expert at flirting, is asking him for advice? “Claude, I don’t think I could help you with that.”

“Just, humor me. It’s something I’m really stuck on.”

Dimitri can’t help but feel crushed. Claude’s in love with someone who’s not his soulmate. But no, it’s not him, why would he seek his help then? Either way, he needs to help him, wants to help.

“Give me a moment.” He needs to word this carefully. He can’t let his own feelings slip in.

Claude chuckles, splashing the water around his feet. “Please, Your Kingliness, you’ve always been so good with your honest words. And I really need help with this. I don’t want to leave with this regret hanging over my conscious.”

He nods, taking a deep breath. “I’d tell them, I know I’m not the one for you, know that you’re destined to be with someone else, but you’ve always, always been someone I’ve valued. Someone I look for in my memories, when I need to focus on something that makes me feel breathless and _happy_ , I think of you.”

A slight glance and he sees Claude staring at him, hanging on his every word. He can feel his face warm up. “I-I know, I’ve hurt you, betrayed you. If I could, I’d take back how I reacted back then,” He closes his eyes, deciding this is his last chance, he should take it. “I should never have hurt you at Gronder, I should have... I don’t know, but I know I regret hurting you.”

He doesn’t look to see how Claude is reacting. “I know you’ve got someone else out there you’re destined for, but I wish it was me. I’ve wished it since we spent all that time in the monastery’s library, late at night. It was small, but it meant everything to me. I can only see yellow, and you always wore that color, slowly it reminded me of you, even when you weren’t there.”

He can hear him gasp beside him now, can feel himself trembling as hands touch his face, turning him to look at him, but he can’t. He shuts his eye like a child and continues his confession. “I’m sorry that I-“

“Dimitri.” The sound of his name on Claude’s lips makes him snap his eye open, gazing into his eyes, now are vibrant a color he's never seen before. He stares, taking in all the new colors around him, the glow Claude seems to radiate as he beams back at him.

“It was you, it was always you.” Claude laughs, and Dimitri feels like he could cry. All this time, to think they were so close yet so far. But now he knows, now he knows, and his heart is screaming.

He pulls Claude into a desperate kiss, trying to fight back his tears.

“We’ve only just found each other, and you leave in the morning.” He sighs when they're finally forced to part, the need for air hindering how close he wishes to be. 

“I’ll be back. I have things to do, but once I’m done, I’ll come back to you, Dimitri.” Claude leans in, their foreheads touching tenderly as he strokes his jaw line. “Trust me.”

Dimitri sighs, pulling him closer. “I trust you with everything in my being. Just, be careful. I couldn't handle it if I lost you.”

“That's my line. I have faith in you to win this, so don't you dare die in Enbarr.”

"Of course." Dimitri smiles before he moves back in to capture Claude's lips. Before he leaves, he will do everything he can to make this a moment to remember until Claude returns to his side. 

The war is eventually won, peace comes to Fodlan and then the years pass. In Fhirdiad castle, two Kings sit by a fire in their bedroom, smiling, kissing, in their world full of color, accented by blues and yellows.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little corny and convoluted in how long it takes them to realize their soulmates, but really it's depends on trust so Claude's self-sabotaging it all.
> 
> Also yes, Dimitri does need to have a moment after seeing the Barbarossa outfit, it's very tight-fitting.


End file.
